Google to release Nexus-branded tablet called the Nexus 7

[newarkhiphop]

Wondering what Google’s flagship I/O Conference announcement this week should look like? Wonder no longer. It’s a 7-inch Tegra 3 tablet running Android Jelly Bean, and it’s set to hit Australia from July.

Also: What Will Be Your Next Tablet? 45 Android + Windows 8 Tablets Compared

Today Gizmodo Australia has viewed a training document detailing exactly what’s going to be in the new tablet and how much it’s going to cost.

As rumoured, Google’s going to announce a 7-inch, Nexus-branded tablet called the Nexus 7. According to the leak, it’s built by Asus, with a 1.3Ghz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, GeForce 12-core GPU and 1GB of RAM with two different storage variants: 8GB and 16GB.

The Nexus tablet will also feature NFC and run Google Wallet (probably only in the US) and Android Beam.

The screen is an IPS display with a 178-degree viewing angle, running a resolution of 1280 by 800. The device will also sport a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera. The battery will also give you 9 hours worth of operation.

The 8GB model will set you back $US199 and the 16GB will cost $US249. No word in the document on local prices.

The leaked document also says that the device will be the first to run Jelly Bean, the new version of Android. Details are scarce on Jelly Bean, but the slides tell us that Google will handle operating system updates from now on, which could address the fragmentation problem. We aren’t sure if this statement means that Google will handle all handset updates from Jelly Bean onwards, or if it just means it will handle it for the Nexus 7 going forward. Based on the various arrangements with other manufacturers and telcos around the world, it’s likely to be the latter. We’ll know more come Google I/O.

Update: The document says that the Nexus 7 will run Android Jelly Bean, but makes no mention of the version number. We understand that the device will be version stamped with Android 4.1, rather than leaping ahead a generation and stamping it as 5.0. Wired had suggested after spotting a leaked benchmark that this would be the case.

Rumours about Google working on a Nexus-branded tablet with Asus have been swirling for a while. Even as far back as May, a report emerged of a super cheap Tegra 3-powered device was coming at the Google I/O developer event, which is now only days away.

The first clue was when Asus demonstrated the awesome cheap and wonderfully cheerful Eee Pad MeMO 370T at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, before delaying the unit indefinitely.

Since then, rumours about a home-grown tablet from Google have been few and far between, but this is the first time we’ve seen anything official regarding specs.

Apple has already played its announcement cards around iOS 6, Microsoft has announced Surface and Windows Phone 8, and Google risks being left behind without its own bespoke tablet product. June is one hell of a month to be following what’s new in tech.

Priced at sub-$US200, the Google’s Nexus 7 will become Amazon’s biggest problem post-launch, threatening the market share of the hugely successful Kindle Fire. The Fire runs a highly modified version of the Android operating system and prevents users from wandering outside the customised Amazon environment. The Nexus brand, however, has always been associated with the purest form of the Android operating system Google has to offer, meaning that it’s likely going to be a better experience. Google is also banking on the fact that the screen is better than the Fire’s, with a higher resolution and 10-point touch capability.

Of course, this could all prove to be an elaborate fake. We’ve seen them before and we’ll see them as long as there’s a rabid tech-loving public that will queue up around the block for value this good.

We’ll bring you the news as we hear it about this tablet, and if it really is the Nexus 7, I’m looking forward to this year’s Google I/O. Follow Gizmodo Australia on Twitter for further updates.

Nexus 7: This Is Google’s New Nexus Tablet | Gizmodo Australia

First day cop GOOG SET DROID GANG

 

[StatUS]

Google butlers coming to the Gang like

 

[newarkhiphop]

@ the kindle fire

 

[ExodusNirvana]

There's still time...throw the Apple in the bushes and roll with the winners.

In the halls of tech, you get left, we in the top 10
Even Rocky trainer and his wife said you can't win

 

[RJY33]

Another trash google tablet. This shyt is dollar store status.

Watch out iPad

Guess its at least as good as a Fire tho

 

[newarkhiphop]

@ thinkin this is meant to compete with the ipad

7in $200

this is meant to canalize the sub 10inch market , which is exactly what its going to do

we finna good of dis one'

 

[JMurder]

 

[aXiom]

Another trash google tablet. This shyt is dollar store status.

Watch out iPad

Guess its at least as good as a Fire tho

The fire is garbage. This is really good hardware for a really good price. It's practically a steal. I can see how it doesn't cater to the 10" crowd though, but that's not its purpose. Rumors are there'll be a slew of nexus devices in November, maybe we'll see a 10"

 

[CTech83]

Looks good to me. They're smart to go after the sub 10" market since iPad pretty much has things on lock. The fact that the hardware is that much better than the kindle fire and users will be getting the full Android experience is a good look. I expect this thing to sell like hotcakes if they market it right.

 

[Kemyran]

Looks good to me. They're smart to go after the sub 10" market since iPad pretty much has things on lock. The fact that the hardware is that much better than the kindle fire and users will be getting the full Android experience is a good look. I expect this thing to sell like hotcakes if they market it right.

They won't. I hope they get it right, but their past behavior doesn't bode well for them. Do you know anyone outside of people that follow tech on a daily basis like we and others do that know ANYTHING about Google's Nexus line of phones?

 

[CTech83]

They won't. I hope they get it right, but their past behavior doesn't bode well for them. Do you know anyone outside of people that follow tech on a daily basis like we and others do that know ANYTHING about Google's Nexus line of phones?

I can't argue with that. It's almost like they don't wanna make money off these devices. I think part of the reason they don't market the Nexus phones as much is cause the current line of phones with Android are already making them a shyt ton of money. The Nexus phones have always been a stepping stone for the other Android phones. Android tablets aren't really selling, so this would be the time to change that. The Kindle Fire sold like crazy, but I don't really count that as Android. I do think that it selling at that price point opened up Googles eyes to the correct way to sell a tablet not named iPad though.

 

[detroitwalt]

This 7" fight will get really interesting if Apple does end up dropping that iPad mini.

A co-worker copped one of those 7" Galaxy tablets. Can't front, shyt is cool being able to operate it basically with one hand.

 

[Kemyran]

I can't argue with that. It's almost like they don't wanna make money off these devices. I think part of the reason they don't market the Nexus phones as much is cause the current line of phones with Android are already making them a shyt ton of money. The Nexus phones have always been a stepping stone for the other Android phones. Android tablets aren't really selling, so this would be the time to change that. The Kindle Fire sold like crazy, but I don't really count that as Android. I do think that it selling at that price point opened up Googles eyes to the correct way to sell a tablet not named iPad though.

Yeah, its kind of an all or nothing situation for them at this point, so if they're going to get it right... this is most definitely the time for that to happen. I think they need some kind of retail presence too. I hope that's in the plans. They can't get away with just selling them online like they did with the Nexus series and are currently doing via the Play Store. Amazon can do that because they're Amazon. They're a pioneer in online retail. Google simply isn't and I've read more than a few horror stories in regards to their support. Maybe Asus will step in on that aspect.

The specs look good and from what I've seen, the tablet itself looks pretty nice. This lower end of the market is pretty much theirs for the taking if they want it.

I don't even think they should use the "Nexus" name. It sounds too techy. Just call it the Google Tab or the Google Tablet or something simple like that.

 

[Kemyran]

Also, can someone tell me WTF Google is doing w/ Motorola? They own Motorola Mobility but Asus is building this tablet? What exactly was the purpose of buying them?

 

[CTech83]

Also, can someone tell me WTF Google is doing w/ Motorola? They own Motorola Mobility but Asus is building this tablet? What exactly was the purpose of buying them?

I heard they bought it for Motorola's patents. They're gonna let Motorola do their own thing for the most part.